CHAPTER 306: CHAPTER 300 SPARK

Zhao Hanzhang’s mood came and went quickly. With Fu Tinghan’s comforting words, she was full of energy again. She nodded heavily and said, "You’re right, we just need to do our best!"

The two of them exchanged smiles, their eyes seemingly filled with stars.

When Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan came out, they saw the two of them gazing at each other affectionately under the lantern light, causing their steps to pause involuntarily.

Ji Yuan was about to find an excuse to send Zhao Ming away, when he heard him clear his throat softly, leaving Ji Yuan in silence.

Hearing the noise, Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan turned around, still smiling.

Seeing the two of them, Zhao Hanzhang’s smile widened. She called out cheerfully, "Uncle Ming, Mr. Ji."

Zhao Ming, however, felt her smile was quite fake, entirely different from the genuine smile before, with no emotion, so he couldn’t be bothered to waste words, saying directly, "Have someone open the city gate, I need to leave."

Zhao Hanzhang tried to keep him, "It’s late at night, although it’s midsummer, there’s still a bit of chill. Uncle, why not stay for the night and return tomorrow?"

Zhao Ming’s excuse was simple and blunt, "Not used to staying outside."

Zhao Hanzhang noticed he didn’t seem very happy and didn’t dare to provoke him further.

Sigh, Uncle Ming is really moody, like he’s having menopause~

But at Uncle Ming’s age... Isn’t it a bit early for menopause?

Zhao Hanzhang had no choice but to call for a carriage, intending to personally see him out of the city.

Could the already closed city gates be casually opened?

Except for Zhao Hanzhang herself, no one could order the soldiers to open the gate at night, and she didn’t want to break this rule, so she personally escorted Zhao Ming to the city gate.

The guard opened a small gate, just enough for a carriage to pass through.

Zhao Hanzhang got off the carriage and waved to Zhao Ming, "Uncle, be careful on the road."

Zhao Ming waved back at her. The Wu Castle was not far, just over a quarter of an hour’s journey.

Zhao Hanzhang remembered something and said with a grin, "I haven’t thanked Uncle Ming yet."

Zhao Ming frowned at her cheeky smile and asked, "Thank me for what?"

"If you hadn’t arranged County Magistrate Gao to be our host, today’s meeting with the county magistrates wouldn’t have gone so smoothly..."

Zhao Ming interrupted her directly, "Who told you I arranged for him?"

Zhao Hanzhang was taken aback, "Didn’t you?"

Zhao Ming gave her a disdainful glance, "Stay away from these crooked paths."

He abruptly dropped the curtain and said to the driver, "Go home!"

The driver responded, cracked the whip, and the carriage moved on.

Zhao Hanzhang had to take a step back, silently watching the carriage go far away. It wasn’t him, so County Magistrate Gao truly admired her!

Zhao Hanzhang’s heart was bubbling with joy as she cheerfully told the soldiers who came out with her, "Why are you standing there, catch up with him."

The soldiers quickly mounted their horses, and Zhao Hanzhang shouted, "Make sure to escort my dear uncle safely back to Wu Castle~~"

The voice drifted far, making it impossible for the recently departed carriage not to hear.

Zhao Ming rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache, but couldn’t help but laugh. This child, who does she take after?

Her elder uncle is such a stern and serious person, Zhi Zhi, though a bit impulsive, is modest. Not to mention Mrs. Wang, who’s as timid as a rabbit, yet they raised such a... bold and cheeky child?

Zhao Hanzhang watched everyone leave before turning back to the city.

The small gate closed behind her, and Zhao Hanzhang looked at the soldiers guarding either side, thinking since she was here, she might as well not hurry off, and asked, "Until when are you on duty?"

The soldier replied, "To answer the lady, we switch shifts at the second watch."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly, asking, "Is there any difficulty in guarding the city gates?"

Although the soldier often saw Zhao Hanzhang, it was the first time speaking to her, so he was very excited and replied loudly, "No difficulties, none at all."

Zhao Hanzhang was startled by his loud voice, but then she laughed and shushed him, patting his shoulder, "Good job, do you have any family?"

The soldier shook his head, smiling widely, "None, it’s just me who survived in my family. I fled here, and the lady was kind enough to take me in."

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes slightly teared up, nodding, "Work hard, and when you’ve saved enough money, I’ll find a wife for you."

The soldier’s eyes lit up, "Really?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Really!"

Zhao Hanzhang returned home, where Ting He immediately greeted her, "Young lady, would you like to eat first or bathe?"

"A bath, I don’t have much of an appetite right now."

Today she felt mentally and physically exhausted, more so than going to battle.

Zhao Hanzhang untied her belt, casually threw it on the couch, and asked, "Has mother and Erlang rested?"

"The lights in madam’s room are still on, but Erlang has fallen asleep."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, took off her clothes, and in her undergarments, went into the washroom, "Go tell mother that I’ve come back to sleep, so she can rest assured and get some rest."

"Yes."

Mrs. Wang received the message but did not go to sleep immediately. Instead, she took Qing Gu to the courtyard to burn incense and worship. She knelt on the ground, bowing to the incense burner, then raised her head slightly to look up at the starry sky, whispering, "Zhi Zhi, do you see? Our Third Lady has grown up."

Meanwhile, Zhao Erlang was sound asleep in the side room of the same courtyard. After talking about her daughter, Mrs. Wang looked sadly at her son’s room, sighed, thinking that while her daughter had grown up, her son still had many years until his coming of age ceremony. The most important thing was that even when he reached the age, he might not truly mature.

Mrs. Wang was always dedicated to teaching Zhao Erlang to read, but to little avail. Since he joined the army, studying had been indefinitely postponed, and until now, he could barely recognize a few words.

However, Zhao Hanzhang was not worried about this at all. The next morning, after finishing her sword practice in the courtyard, she went to bathe and change, and then to have breakfast.

Because Mrs. Wang was there, they had breakfast as a family, and Fu Tinghan was also present.

Mrs. Wang smiled as she offered Fu Tinghan some porridge, then turned to see her son taking big bites of bread. She hesitated for a moment, then carefully said, "Erlang, do you want to go to the school with mother to learn a few words today?"

Zhao Erlang shook his head repeatedly.

Mrs. Wang frowned, not very approving, and looked at Zhao Hanzhang, "Third Lady, Erlang should learn to recognize some words, otherwise in the future, he won’t be able to handle official documents, nor write to communicate with you."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "He is learning, but it can’t be forced. Don’t worry; there’s a bright boy, Zhao Cai, by his side. I’m constantly having people teach him. In the future, he can read official documents and letters for Erlang."

She glanced at Lv Hu, who was waiting outside, and said to Zhao Erlang, "When you and Lv Hu are free, follow Zhao Cai and learn to read. Recognize as many words as you can."

Zhao Erlang looked pained, but he didn’t dare to fool his sister like he did with his mother, so he could only nod.

Fu Tinghan looked at him and said, "I’ll teach you. You’re very smart, so we can work together to find patterns in words, which might make it more efficient."